The blank page stares up at me, “World AIDS Day 2016”. That will be Thursday. It’s not like it used to be when life was much more urgent, desperate. I think of the dead. I still sorely miss my friends, friends from our twenties and thirties. Gone. It’s like Remembrance Day, but I don’t like . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: World AIDS Day 2016

As heard on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning today Wood Haven Country Lodge in the Kawarthas opens its heart next weekend to women and children from area shelters, offering them a get-away in the busy holiday season. David explained to Matt Galloway that when his partner died of AIDS several years ago, he decided to extend . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Generosity

Exciting news from the NIH! “Scientists from the National Institutes of Health have identified an antibody from an HIV-infected person that potently neutralized 98 percent of HIV isolates tested, including 16 of 20 strains resistant to other antibodies of the same class. The remarkable breadth and potency of this antibody, named N6, make it an . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Did you see this?

It was my first visit to the west coast, that summer of 1996, and – given my fragile health – I was determined to make it the trip of a lifetime. I would fly to Vancouver and then take the train across Canada to return home. My purpose in being out there was to attend . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Reprise: A human wreck at ‘Wreck Beach’

Bright and early this morning, before I could slip into dishonesty, I volunteered to my diabetes specialist that I was depressed. Actually it was more like joining in conversation with her as she wondered aloud if any ‘black dogs’ were about. There’s always something cathartic about admitting this after circular self-arguments about whether I am . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: No offence to ‘black dogs’ but I got real today

Facebook, with its at-best superficial ways of linking me to my world, has taken me away from greater reflection possible in this blog so…I’m back – on my journey here. The past few weeks I have been involved with the Youth/Elders Project, a joint effort of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, the 519 Community Centre . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: I’m back, breaking my blogging fast

While showing me a graph, with the trajectory of my health over the past few months, my endocrinologist remarked, “I wouldn’t have sold you life insurance in January!” Point taken. It was a rough patch, to be sure. But now… … . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Medical update: It’s all good

Reading something which noted that 1981 was 35 years ago jarred me into realizing that it was three-and-a-half decades ago this very month that I officially came out of the closet, by which I mean letting my family know that I was gay. It was in the co… . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Out for 35 years

It was both an honour and a pleasure this past Monday to receive an award for 25 years of service at the AIDS Committee of Toronto’s Annual General Meeting. I must confess to feeling like I have drawn on more services than I have provided but the 25 years is amazing, even from a survival . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Honours from ACT

I am surrounded by boxes, both packed and empty. This week I am changing units within my housing co-op, moving house for the first time since 1992. When I re-located to this building 23 years ago I thought, with good reason, that my death was imminent; that I would be here a short time before . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Leaving Unit 503 upright

“How long have you been wasting?” the chiropodist asked me a couple of weeks ago as she updated a history on me. The starkness of the verb, however accurate, stayed with me. I’ve always been thin, I said, but my weight has been falling a bit since last fall. Fast forward to preparations for a . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: A new low

If I have learned nothing else about my bipolar II today, it is that I am certainly not the only one in similar circumstances who has found photography to be a healing past-time. Facebook is teeming today with some of the creative works of the bipolar support community. Scrolling through various blogs and . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Another important day for self-acceptance

If I have learned nothing else about my bipolar II today, it is that I am certainly not the only one in similar circumstances who has found photography to be a healing past-time. Facebook is teeming today with some of the creative works of the bipolar support community. Scrolling through various blogs and . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Another important day for self-acceptance

Disclaimer: My memories have been assisted by Google and a piece of paper, 8-1/2″ x 11″ divided in half, on which is written the following: After signing up for The Movie Network again recently, I came upon the film “Vito: A Man For All Seasons”. I was immediately transported back to the early summer day . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Lunch with Vito Russo

A prompt this week to write about something in a health-care context brought out this story which, despite having been told over and over in my head, had heretofore not made it down in writing. It wasn’t quite 5:30 am and Janice was already waiting for me on the main floor of Union Station. Her . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: Early morning, April 25, 2007

What I really like about this is that it could just as easily have been said by my Mom or Dad. (They said and wrote almost exactly similar sentiments when Craig and I came out 31 and 35 years ago, respectively.) So there you have it, according to WordPress and Price-Waterhouse accountants, my one-thousandth post!

Healthline editors recently published the final list of their favorite HIV & STD blogs and I’m pleased to let you know that this blog made the list, which can be found here (in no particular order). I am very appreciative of this vote of confidence! Kenn Chaplin is no defeatist; he’s brazen, energetic, gut-wrenchingly honest, . . . → Read More: My journey with AIDS…and more!: AccolAIDS much appreciated!